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Wine Can Lower Depression Risk In Moderation

Wine has the ability to lower the risk of depression, according to a new study published in the journal BMC Medicine. While wine is good, according to the researchers, they caution it should always be enjoyed in moderation.

The study found that older men and women who drank between two and seven glasses of wine per week were 32 percent less likely to have depression when compared with people who didn’t drink alcohol at all.

All participants analyzed were between 55 and 80 and had no previous history of alcohol-related problems or depression.

The researchers say that their results showing moderate wine consumption staves off depression added that the results stayed the same when they accounted for lifestyle and social factors, like smoking, marital status, and diet.

One reason for the difference could be that people could drink more to mask symptoms of depression. Also, people can turn to alcohol to cope with personal issues. All of these factors can contribute to a depressive episode.

Lead study author Dr. Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez, added that the difference also could be that the new study didn’t include people who had depression or drinking problems.

Of those involved in the study, 443 people reported being diagnosed with depression over a follow-up period of seven years. The lowest rate of depression was seen by people who drank a moderate amount of wine. Martinez-Gonzalez explained that the exact reasons for the results aren’t known.

But a compound in grapes could help protect parts of the brain from inflammatory processes that lead to depression. It is unclear if the study will have wider implications on wine drinking.